5 Shrewd Plays for Aug. 8

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For any fantasy baseball team, starting the right players is unsurprisingly the key to success. This is especially true in the immensely popular daily leagues, where a single player can mean the difference between a big payday and crushing disappointment. Based on matchups and talent, the following five players could all be in for an outstanding day on Aug. 8 and deserve your utmost consideration.

5. 1B - Chris Davis: Baltimore Orioles

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5. 1B - Chris Davis: Baltimore Orioles

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Fantasy baseball's biggest bust has no doubt been terrible in 2014, but he has shown a smidgen of life at the dish the past few days. Davis has now hit safely in four straight games while mashing a couple of HRs, and he has an outstanding matchup to take advantage of today. The O's will face starter Justin Masterson, and to go along with a horrid 5.63 ERA, he's allowing lefties to bat absurdly high .332 on the season.

4. SS - Elvis Andrus: Texas Rangers

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4. SS - Elvis Andrus: Texas Rangers

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This speedster is in the midst of a nice 13-game hitting streak and has seen his season average rise 14 points as a result. Much of that success has to do with Andrus' outstanding .352 average vs. left-handed pitchers, and he'll face a pretty mediocre one today. Brett Oberholtzer will face the Rangers in this one, and on top of his elevated 4.17 ERA, right-handers are batting an even .300 against him this year.

3. OF - Nick Markakis: Baltimore Orioles

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3. OF - Nick Markakis: Baltimore Orioles

Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

The ever steady Markakis has seen his bat nearly burst into flames in August, as he's batting .407 for the month with four multi-hit efforts over seven games. He's done the majority of his damage vs. right-handed pitching this year, and that's exactly what he'll see today. Markakis will face the aforementioned Justin Masterson tonight, and I think it bears repeating that Masterson is allowing lefties to bat a ridiculous .332 on the season.

2. P - Jose Quintana: Chicago White Sox

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2. P - Jose Quintana: Chicago White Sox

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Quintana's numbers over his last nine outings rank right up there with the best in baseball. His ERA sits at a magnificent 1.70 over that span, and he's fanned an impressive 56 batters over those 58.2 innings of work. You have to like his matchup today on the road against the Seattle Mariners. The M's have scored the third fewest runs per game at home this season, and they rank just 23rd in the league with a .245 average vs. lefties.

1. 2B - Daniel Murphy: New York Mets

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1. 2B - Daniel Murphy: New York Mets

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This left-hander has been sizzling like bacon of late as he's posted an incredible .451 average over his last 12 games. Murphy now leads the NL in hits due to this recent surge and will look to keep terrorizing opposing pitchers today. Veteran starter A.J. Burnett will square off against the Mets today, and he has melted down of late by allowing 18 runs over his last 19.2 innings of work.